by James Slater – Promoter extraordinaire Don King, the man who set up the huge happening that was “The Rumble In The Jungle” over thirty years ago, wants to stage another big heavyweight fight in Africa. King, while speaking with Setanta Sports recently, said that if his fighter Samuel Peter can win on Saturday night in Germany against Vitali Klitschko, he will look to promote a Peter rematch with Wladimir Klitschko. And the legendary promoter said he’d very much like to stage the fight in Peter’s home country of Nigeria..
“We’re in search of a great hero that will come and rescue the sport,” King said. “You’ve got one from Nigeria named Sam Peter. He destroyed Oleg Maskaev (to win the WBC heavyweight title). If he destroys Vitali and then jumps on his brother and gets revenge for the loss he suffered, the only loss he ever suffered, then you will see more excitement in the air in the heavyweight division. Hopefully we can put a Wladimir-Sam Peter fight on in Nigeria – take boxing back to the continent of Africa again. To return to glory, it would be quite provocative and exciting.”
It sure would be exciting. Going back to the days of the great Muhammad Ali, when he fought all over the globe in such far out locals as Zaire, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Indonesia, another mega-fight held so far away would be very interesting. Recently, the Lennox Lewis-Hasim Rahman bout aside, there have been no big world title fights staged in Africa. A Klitschko-Peter return there sure would be something. There’s only one problem, “The Nigerian Nightmare” first has to defeat Vitali Klitschko!
Judging by the tone in King’s voice, he feels his man Peter will do the job tomorrow night, leaving him free to set up his second African dream fight. King, as he said, sees the 28-year-old as a possible saviour of the heavyweight division, and if Peter wins on Saturday night he will have convinced a lot of people he just might be.
Of course, Peter was beaten pretty soundly by Wladmir when they met in 2005, but the Nigerian puncher did score three knockdowns before losing on points. A rematch with “Dr. Steel Hammer” would be huge, coming as it would after Peter had spoilt the two brothers’ chances of making history. The fight would be a massive attraction wherever it were held; the rematch would carry even more magic if it took place in Africa. As King says, to return to glory would be quite provocative.
Sam Peter’s future has already been planned should he keep his world title in Germany.